Strip feeding device



A. w. METZNER STRIP FEEDING DEVICE April 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 28, 1954 INVENTOR.

ALBERT W. METZNER April 1959 A. w. METZN IQ 2,881,893

STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 28, 1954 4 Sheeis-Shet 2 INVENTOR.

ALBERT w. METZNER April 14, 1959 Filed Oct. 28, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 3 llllllIIHHIHIHIIIIIIIII w 8 2 m o 8 \Q. A mm m vw l I! 1 I E. E E Ill] I; N 2 8 n. v I 8 mm mm mm mm w /z.

' llllll April '14, 1959 A. w. METZNER STRIP FEEDING DEVICE 4 SheetS- Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 28, 1954 INVENTOR. ALBERT wQ METZNER mmmw United States Patent STRIP FEEDING DEVICE Albert W. Metzner, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Stand- 26rd Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of bio Application October 28, 1954, Serial No. 465,350

14 Claims. (Cl. 197-133) This invention relates to strip feeding apparatus, and more particularly to a platen assembly for substitution in typewriting and like machines for the conventional roller platen.

The object of the invention is to improve the construction as well as the means and mode of operation of pin type strip feeding devices, whereby they may not only be economically manufactured, but will be more efiicient in use, uniform in action and be unlikely to get out of repair.

It is an object of the invention to make use of a novel type escalator movement pin feed device for advancing continuous record strip material through a typewriter.

Another object of the invention is to make the substitute platen assembly a unitary device that can replace a conventional typewriter platen on any typing machine merely by taking out the conventional platen and replacing it with the instant unit.

A further object of the invention is to make the pin feeding devices adjustable in a lateral sense to accommodate different width forms and in a retracting sense to move the feeding pins out of feeding engagement with the record strip material.

A further object of the invention is to facilitate the use of interleaved carbon paper and carbon paper ribbon, it being proposed to place the pin feeding devices in overhead relation to the platen, with the strip material being drawn in a substantially planar path over the surface of the platen.

Still another object of the invention is to make use of a stationary platen bar, featuring a replaceable platen element.

A further related object is to obviate the need for keeping on hand relatively bulky platen assemblies which are substituted for one another to provide impact surfaces of different hardness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a strip feeding device embodying the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the mode of operation herein set forth, or their equivalents.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, theparts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

In the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

Fig. l is a view in perspective of a platen assembly in accordance with the illustrated form of the invention, shown installed in a typewriting machine;

Fig. 2 is a view of the assembly in front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a view of the platen assembly in top elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view in cross section, taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in cross section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3

2,881,893 Patented Apr. 14, 1959 ice Fig. 6 is a view in cross section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view in cross section, with some parts omitted, taken substantially along the line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a view in cross section taken substantially along the line 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a detail view in cross section of the platen bar and platen element locked therein; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing the platen element released from the bar.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, part of a typewriter is shown in Fig. l in dotted outline with a platen assembly in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention shown substituted therein. In effecting such substitution it is necessary merely to lift the machine equipped roller platen out of its place in the carriage and replace it with the instant assembly. Thus, a main support shaft 10 has spacer sleeves ill and 12 at opposite ends thereof mounted on the shaft and centering bearings 13 which are received in races in the typewriter carriage in the same manner that corresponding parts of the conventional platen roller shaft are received.

The platen assembly includes spaced apart side frames 14 and 15 mounted on the shaft 10 and rigidly held apart by interconnecting rods and shafts, to be described. A

ratchet wheel 16 is secured to the shaft 10 and is acted ner in apparatus of this kind to initially locate the writing line with respect to the platen. I

. The platen is in the form of a bar 25 extending rigidly between the side frames 14 and 15. The front surface of the bar 25, which is generally rectangular in shape, is formed with a ledge 26 at its lower edge undercut to define a channel 27. A platen element 28 has a base portion for positioning in intimate contact with the front surface of the bar 25 and on its opposite side edges are flanges, one of which is received in the channel 27. The other flange on element 28 is positioned to be engaged and held by a latch 29 pivotally connected to upstanding brackets 31 on the top edge of the bar 25. On the rearward side of the bar 25 is a series of brackets 32 rotatably mounting a shaft 33. At longitudinally spaced apart points therealong earns 34 are fixed to the shaft 33', which'c'ams have'high portions arranged to underlie a rearwardly extending part 35 of the latch 29 and so hold the latch in effective, platen locking position shown in Fig. 9. On one end of the shaft 33 is a lever 36 manipulative to rock the shaft 33 and thereby the cams 34. The

high portions of the cams 34 may thus be moved out of cooperative relation with the part 35 of latch 29 and the latch thereby released for opening movement and removal of the platen element 28, as indicated in Fig. 10.

The outer or front surface of the platen element 28 is curved in an arc conforming to the curvature of the platen roller replaced. Such surface, moreover, is over laid by a relatively soft rubber or rubberlike material 37. The requirements of the work may at some times be such that the impact surface of the platen, as represented by the material 37, be relatively soft and at other times such a change it is necessary merely to remove one platen element 28 and replace it-v with another, in the manner that has been described. 7

The platen elements 28 can easily be kept on hand in any necessary number without incurring a storage problem and the actual substitution of one element foranother is a simplified operation, as has been seen, involving only manipulation of the release and locking lever 36;

A manifold record strip38- reaches cooperative relation with the platen assembly from the rear thereof, as indicated in Figs. and 6, passing beneath the assembly over friction rolls 39 and 41 secured respectively to shafts 42 and 43 journaled in the side frames 14 and near the bottom edge thereof and below the horizontal plane of the platen bar 25. From the friction rolls 39 and 41, the strip 38 extends over the front of the platen element 28 where it may be struck by type bars 44, the platen element and bar 25 rigidly sustaining the impact of the printing action. Beyond the platen element 28, the strip 38'is guided in a substantially vertical path by guides 45 dependent from a cross bar 46 extending between uprights 47 and 48 on the side frames 14 and 15. The strip is again directed rearwardly over the curved upper ends of the guide arms 45 out of the machine or toward a place of storage.

A shaft 49 is rotatably mounted in the side frames 14 and 15 and at one end projects through the frame 14. The projecting end thereof, as seen in Fig. 1, mounts a gear 51 meshing with a similar gear 52 on the shaft 10. Also onthe shaft 49, between the frames 14 and 15, is another gear 53 meshingwith a gear 54 on the previously mentioned shaft 43 carrying the friction feed roll 41. Through an idler gear 55 the gear 54 drives another gear 56 made fast to the shaft 42 on which is the friction feed roll 39. The feed rolls 39 and 41 are, through the described construction and arrangement of parts, caused to rotate or to advance in accompaniment with motion of the shaft 10. Oooperable with the feed rolls 39 and 41 are friction rolls 57 and 58' carried by a paper pan 59 mounted in underlying relation to the platen assembly as a part of the conventional machine structure. The strip 38 is guided between the paper pan 59 and the feed rolls 39 and 41, and, as is well known in the typewriter art, the pan 59 is adjustable to alternate positions illustrated respectively herein in Figs. 5 and 6. With the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 5, the friction rolls 57 and 58 are in effect retracted, being out of con tact with the strip and with the feed rolls 39 and 41. In theposition of the parts shown in Fig. 6, the paper pan has in efifect been advanced upon the platen assembly and the friction rolls 57 and 58 now resiliently press the strip 38 upon-the rolls 39 and 41. As a result, ro

tation of the friction feed rolls 39 and 41 serves to ad vance the strip 38.

Also mounted on the shaft 49 between the side frames 14 and 15 is a gear 61 (Fig. 4) meshing with another gear 62 fast on a shaft 63 also extending between the side frames 14 and 15. In the case of the shaft 63, however, the ends of such shaft have rollers 64 thereon resting on a track 65 on the upper edge of each side frame 14 and 15. At its one end, the track 65 terminates in a recess 66 and at its other end in a hooked recess 67, in the latter of which the. shaft 63 is yieldingly held by a spring detent 68.- The arrangement is such, it will be understood, that the shaft 63 is bodily shiftable in a to'and fro direction between extremes as represented by the recesses 66 and 67.

On the shaft 63 is a pair of pin feeding devices for positive engagement with and advancement of the strip. The pin feeding devices, indicated respectively at 69 and 70, are identical in construction so that a description of one will sufiice for both. Thus, each device is mounted between and may be said'to include a pair of arms 71 and 72"which at their one ends are pivotally mounted on the shaft=49 and at their other ends have the shaft 63 passed th'er'ethrough; Between the arms 71' and 72 are spaced apart discs 73 and 74, the former being concentric to' the shaft 63 and having a hub 75 extending through the arm 71 and carrying an adjustable screw stud 76. The tip end of the screw stud 76 is formed as a key 77 and is received in a longitudinal slot or keyway 78 in the shaft 63. Rotation of the shaft 63, through the meshing gears 61 and 62, thus is partaken of by the disc 73. Also, the stud 76 is turned inward or tightened to secure the disc 73 against longitudinal motion relative to the shaft 63 and is backed off or loosened in effect to release the disc for longitudinal adjustment along the shaft. The pin feed devices may, therefore, be positioned at will along the length of the shaft 63 merely by loosening the respective screw studs 76, moving the devices as desired and then retightening the screw studs.

The disc 74 is in eccentric relation to the shaft 63 and to its companion disc 73, and, as indicated in Fig. 8, has the shape of a ring through which the shaft 63 freely passes and which is rotatably mounted on an eccentric boss formation 79 on aplate 80' on the arm 72. Interposed between the discs 73 and 74 is a series of feeding pins 81 comprising links or base portions 82, and, substantially normal thereto, pin portions 83. Each base portion 82 is connected at its one end to the disc 73 and at its other end to the disc 74, the connections in both instances being pivotal ones; The disc 74 is rotated by the disc 73 through the-pins 81 and it will be understood thatin the course of such rotation the several pins 81 will maintain the positions illustrated, with the pin portions 83 substantially parallel toone another. As indicated in Fig. 4, the motion of the pin portions 83 of the feeding pins as they approach and enter perforations in the strip 38' is in substantially a straight line, as is the retracting motion relatively to the strip. As a result,

strip perforations more nearly conforming in diameter to the specific diameter of the pin portions of the feeding pins are possible resulting in closer and more accurate registration of manifold forms than has heretofore been possible.

The feeding pin devices 69 and Y70 are, of course, mounted on the shaft 63 for bodily shifting motion therewith. When the shaft is moved in a forward direction with the rollers 64 thereon occupying respective recesses 66 in tracks 65 the pin feeding. devices are positioned as indicated in Fig. 4 wherein the feeding pins are in cooperative relation to the strip. The pin feed devices may in this position of the parts be described as being in operating position. When the shaft 63 is retracted to its opposite extreme, shown in Fig. 6, the pin feeding devices are moved out of cooperative relation with the strip 38, that is, the feeding pins areunable to reach and engage the perforations in the strip. This position of the parts, therefore, may be termed the non-operating position of the pin feed devices.

It will be understood that the pin feed apparatus described and the friction feed apparatus as represented by the feed rolls 39 and 41 are alternative in operation. Thus, in feeding marginally perforated forms it will ordinarily be desirable to make use of the pin feed devices. At this time, therefore, the pin feed devices will be adjusted to operating position while the paper pan 59 will be adjusted out of cooperative relation with the feed rolls 39 and 41, or to the position shown in Fig. 5. In another class of typing, the positive feed and accurate registration provided by the pin feeding devices may be unnecessary. For this class of work, the pin feed devices may be set to the non-operating position of Fig. 6 and the paper pan 59 adjusted for frictional engagement of the rolls 57 and 58 thereon with the feed rolls 39 and 41 through the strip 38 in the manner indicated also in Fig. 6. The feed at this time thus is a frictional feed accomplished through the feed rolls 39 and 41 independently of the pin feeding devices.

The side arms 71 and 72 of each pin feeding device are interconnected by tie members. 84 which make of the elements 71, 72, 73, 74 and 79, as well as the feeding pins 81, a unitary assembly.

The platen assembly may further include as shown, guide or feed fingers 85 hinged to opposite sides of the respective pin feeding devices. The fingers 85 serve in a known manner to hold the strip material in cooperative engagement with the feeding pins 81 when the feeding devices are in operating position, the fingers being swung to a position out of cooperative relation with the strip preparatory to withdrawing the pin feed devices to nonoperating position.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into efiect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A platen assembly for substitution as a unit in a typewriting or like machine for the platen roller therein, including relatively stationary side frames, a platen bar extending between said frames, a rotary drive shaft supported between said frames, pin feed means supported between said frames engageable with record strip material to advance it over said platen bar, friction feed rolls supported between said frames and over which the record strip material is passed, said machine having selectively operable means for pressing the strip material to said rolls, continuous driving connections from said drive shaft to said pin feed means and from said drive shaft to said friction feed rolls, and means for moving said pin feed means to operating and non-operating positions.

2. A platen assembly for substitution as a unit in a typewriting or like machine for the platen roller therein, including relatively stationary side frames, a platen bar extending between said frames, a rotary drive shaft supported between said frames, record strip material being passed over said platen and in overhead relation to said drive shaft, pin feeding devices pivotally supported between said side frames for swinging movement into and out of position to engage the record strip material, a rotary driving connection between said shaft and said devices, and friction feed rolls supported between said frames and rotated by said shaft, said feed rolls being arranged substantially to underlie said platen and to guide the record strip material thereover.

3. A platen assembly for substitution as a unit in a typewriting or like machine for the platen roller therein, including relatively stationary side frames, a platen bar extending between said frames, record strip material be ing passed over said platen bar, pin feeding devices supported by said frames in substantially overhead relation to said platen bar and engageable with said strip material, friction feed rolls supported by said frames in substantially underlying relation to said platen bar and over which said strip material is passed, a rotary drive shaft supported by said frames, and driving connections from said shaft to said pin feeding devices and to said friction feed rolls.

4. A platen assembly according to claim 3, wherein at least one end of said drive shaft projects through sa d frames, characterized by machine operated means on said projecting end for rotating said shaft.

5. A platen assembly for substitution as a umt in a typewriting or like machine for the platen roller therein, including relatively stationary side frames, a platen bar extending between said frames, overhead pin feeding devices supported between said frames in position to draw record strip material over said platen bar, a rotary drive shaft extending between said frames and operatively connected to said feeding devices, said shaft projecting at its opposite ends through and beyond said frames, and carriage bearing engaging means on the projecting ends of said shaft.

6. A platen assembly, including relatively stationary side frames, a platen bar rigidly interconnecting said frames, means for guiding record strip material over said platen bar, pin feeding devices in substantially overhead relation to said platen bar and having feeding pins engageable with perforations in the record strip material, a shaft mounting said devices, and slot formations in said frames receiving the ends of said shaft and providing for movement of said pin feeding devices into and out of strip engaging position.

7. A platen assembly including relatively stationary side frames, a stationary platen bar supported between side frames, record strip material being passed thereover, rotatable feeding pin carriers in substantially overhead relation to said platen, feeding pins carried by said carriers in approximately parallel relation to one another and perpendicular relation to the plane of the strip material, a common mount for said carriers extending between said frames, and means defining alternate positions of adjustment for said mount in said frames defining engaging and non-engaging positions of said feeding pins relatively to the strip material.

8. A platen assembly, including relatively stationary side frames, platen means extending between said frames, overhead pin feeding devices for engaging and feeding record strip material over said platen means, each of said devices comprising feeding pins and rotatable carriers therefor maintaining an approximately parallel relation of said pins, and a common mount for said carriers adjustable in said side frames toward and from the plane of the strip material being fed, said devices being adjustable on said mount laterally or parallel to the plane of the strip material.

9. A platen assembly, including relatively stationary side frames, a shaft having its ends mounted in said side frames, at least one pin feeding device on said shaft comprising spaced apart discs rotatably mounted on said shaft and pins supported therebetween in a substantially constant parallel relation to one another, one of said discs having a hub, a key set in said hub, and a longitudinal keyway in said shaft receiving saidkey for unison rotation of said device with said shaft, said key being adjustable whereby to lock said device to said shaft or to release it for repositioning along said shaft.

10. A platen assembly according to claim 9, characterized by a track in said side frames for the ends of said shaft providing for bodily shifting motion of said shaft.

11. A platen assembly for substitution as a unit in a typewriting or like machine for the roller platen therein, including stationary side frames, a rotary shaft extending through said side frames, machine bearing elements on the extending ends of said shaft, a stationary platen supported between said side frames and having an impact sustaining surface, means for guiding record strip material over said surface in a plane substantially perpendicular thereto, another shaft supported between said frames in overhead parallel relation to said platen, tracks in said frames for bodily shifting movement of said other shaft, pin feed devices on said other shaft comprising pins extensible in one bodily position of said shaft into the plane of said record strip material, and a rotary driving connection between the first said shaft and said pin feed devices.

12. A platen assembly for substitution as a unit in a typewriting or like machine for the roller platen therein,

including stationary side frames, a rotary shaft extending through said side frames, machine bearing elements on the extending ends of said shaft, a stationary platen supported between said side frames and having an impact sustaining surface, means for guiding record strip material over said surface in a plane substantially perpendicular thereto, another shaft supported between said frames in overhead parallel relation to said platen, tracks in said frames for bodily shifting movement of said other shaft, pin feed devices on said other shaft comprising pins extensible in one bodily position of said shaft into the plane of said record strip material, a further shaft supported between said frames, a rotary driving connection from the first said shaft through said further shaft to said pin feed devices, and arms interconnecting said other and said further shafts, said further shaft serving as a pivot for bodily shifting motion of said other shaft.

13. A platen assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that each of said pin feeding devices comprises spaced apart carrier discs mounted on said shaft, and feeding pins mounted between said discs to maintain a substantially parallel relation during rotation of said discs.

14. A platen assembly, including side frames, :1 platen supported therebetween,:first and second shafts extending between said side frames parallel to saidplaten, one of said shafts being rotatable and in substantially overhead relation to said platen, a pair of arms in side byside relation with said shafts passed therethlrough, a pair of discs in side by side relation between said arms, one of said discs being, rotatably mountedon one of said arms in surrounding eccentric relation to said one shaft, the other of said discs being connected to said one-shaft for rotation therewith andbeing concentric thereto, feeding pins supported between said discs and each having a portion pivotally connected to said discs at longitudinally spaced points therealong and a projecting strip engaging portion, and means for rotating said one shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,366 Kurowski Sept. 7, 1926 1,832,622 Dean Nov. 17, 1931 2,076,022 Hagemannuu Apr. 6, 1937 2,293,769 Sherman Aug. 25, 1942 2,411,723 Hausman Nov. 26, 1946 

